Smart Ration Card Types in Tamil Nadu - Replaced Ration Cards

Tamil Nadu food minister R Kamaraj on Thursday affirmed the government's commitment to issue smart ration cards to replace the existing family cards for public distribution system from April 1. The cards have been in circulation since 2006 onwards, and additional sheets being inserted every year. The civil supplies department's verification of Aadhaar numbers was on the verge of completion. "Those who have not seeded the Aadhaar numbers will be given time even after April. But cards will be distributed by the state government from April onwards," Kamaraj told media persons. There are 1.96 crore family cardholders in the state and government offers subsidy to supply of food grains. In the last five years, the AIADMK regime had spent Rs 24,450 crore towards food subsidy.

A major section of ration card in the priority sector comes under this category. To alleviate poverty, NFSA claims right to receive food-grains at subsidized prices by persons belonging to eligible households that are Priority House Holds (PHH) under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). The households remaining after selecting priority list will be moved to Non-Priority category. Non Priority House Holds (NPHH) is ineligible to get subsidized food grains under NFSA system. According to NFSA, 25% of the rural population and 50% of urban population will be out from receiving subsidized food grains under Targeted Public Distribution System (TPDS). They will get ration cards but no subsidized food grains as priority ration cards (PHH) get.